Letter to the Editor: Environmental impacts of natural gas drilling still a question mark

Hoyt Library honors Martin Luther King Jr.

<p>I have a very low tolerance for pain!</p><p>I have known for the past three years that I needed to have some dental work done and, not looking forward to the pain I would be in, I have been putting it off. In December, my dental hygienist scolded me, in the kindest way possible, and I couldn&#8217;t put it off any longer. I finally mustered up the bravery, scheduled the procedure and had it done right after New Year&#8217;s.</p><p>In the week prior to this very minor surgery, I worked myself into a frenzy. I am sure that my co-workers, friends and family were tired of hearing me whine about the pain I was anticipating. The actual procedure didn&#8217;t hurt a bit, but within a few hours after the Novocaine wore off, my face was swollen and very, very sore. It was everything I feared and it lasted for days.</p><p>During this &#8220;ordeal,&#8221; my younger daughter who endured braces for years took every opportunity she could to poke fun at me and told me more than once to &#8220;suck it up, buttercup.&#8221; She reminded me that her dental work was much more extensive and lots of others have it much worse.</p><p>I hate to admit it, but my teenage kid was kind of right. My pain was really a temporary discomfort. Others, however, live daily with pain that is much more severe.</p><p>Every day at the United Way of Wyoming Valley we see or hear of the pain of poverty, of hunger, of homelessness, of addiction, of abuse, of illness, of loneliness, and the worst of all, of hopelessness. It is especially painful when these conditions directly or indirectly impact the lives of children.</p><p>Fortunately, we also get to see those who are making a difference and actually changing the conditions for the better. We are grateful for the donors who support our annual campaign and are charitable to good causes in the community. We appreciate the many volunteers who give of their time to the United Way and other nonprofit organizations, and we are thankful for our partner agencies that work every day to help those in need. Given our focus on childhood poverty, we are especially thankful for parents, teachers, coaches, mentors, clergy and all others who commit their time, efforts and resources to helping our area&#8217;s youth reach their full potential.</p><p>There is a saying attributable to the philosopher Plato and others that says, &#8220;Be kind, for everyone is fighting a hard battle you know nothing about.&#8221; For many, the pain and hidden difficulties of life can be challenging and linger for a very long time.</p><p>The United Way of Wyoming Valley is planning an unprecedented year of engagement opportunities aimed at addressing the issues and easing the lasting pain of childhood poverty. We encourage you to follow our work and we invite your kindness and involvement.</p><p>While I truly do have a low tolerance for physical pain, I feel fortunate to do work that seeks solutions to the painful and pressing problems of our community and seeks to improve the odds for children in need every day. It is not an easy task and we can&#8217;t do it alone. Yet, with your continued support, we will reach more children and change the future for many. That is a pretty bold promise &#8230; even from a &#8220;buttercup&#8221; like me!</p><style>
.neFileBlock {
	margin-bottom: 20px;
}
.neFileBlock p {
	margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;
}
.neFileBlock .neFile {
	border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa;
	padding-bottom: 5px;
	padding-top: 10px;
}
.neFileBlock .neCaption {
	font-size: 85%;
}
</style>
<div class='neFileBlock'>
<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/web1_JonesBillColor.jpg">
<div class="neCaption"></div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/web1_JonesBillColor.jpg</photo0><caption0></caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>Bill Jones</p><p>Contributing Columnist</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Bill Jones is president and CEO of <a href="http://www.unitedwaywb.org/" target="_blank">United Way of Wyoming Valley</a>. He can be reached at 829-6711 ext. 1230.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Bill Jones: Help area’s United Way counteract the sting of childhood poverty